Plaque remembering Bob Burton presented by Class of 1966

On Monday, June 11, Bob Johnson represented the Fallbrook High School Class of 1966 in presenting a donation in the name of Bob Burton to the Friends of the Fallbrook Library and a handsome plaque which now greets visitors to the Bob Burton Center for the Arts as they enter the building.

Johnson explained that 43 years ago, in 1964, Burton was teaching his first year at Fallbrook High and was Johnson’s basketball coach and history teacher. Johnson and his classmates described Burton in those days as “young, energetic, full of enthusiasm and with a contagious smile.”

Last year, when the class held their 40th reunion, Burton attended. The class said that Bob appeared older yet still possessed the same young attitude and enthusiasm as he had in the beginning.

After hearing of Burton’s terminal illness and his death, the class was determined to honor him and took up a collection to donate a plaque in his memory. Since they had a sizeable amount of money left after purchasing the plaque, they donated the remainder to the Friends of the Library, in Bob’s honor, as his family had asked people to do.